People as Protection - by Daniel E Agbiboa (Hardcover)
$54.95 when purchased online
Target Online store #3991
About this item
Highlights
- Explores the complex and underappreciated role of civilian self-defense groups in northeastern Nigeria during the Boko Haram insurgency People as Protection is a groundbreaking exploration of the complex and underappreciated role of civilian self-defense groups in northeastern Nigeria during the Boko Haram insurgency, particularly the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).
- About the Author: Daniel E. Agbiboa is the John and Ruth Hazel Associate Professor of the Social Sciences at Harvard University.
- 256 Pages
- Social Science, Violence in Society
Description
Book Synopsis
Explores the complex and underappreciated role of civilian self-defense groups in northeastern Nigeria during the Boko Haram insurgency
People as Protection is a groundbreaking exploration of the complex and underappreciated role of civilian self-defense groups in northeastern Nigeria during the Boko Haram insurgency, particularly the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF). Emerging in 2013, the CJTF was a grassroots initiative led by civilian populations, especially youth, to protect their communities from Boko Haram terror and the brutality of military forces. Caught between insurgents and the state, young volunteers patrolled their neighborhoods and risked their lives to prevent attacks while working alongside security forces many considered complicit in civilian harm. Focusing on the deep motivations of these civilians, Daniel E. Agbiboa reveals how young Nigerians, when they chose to protect their communities, were driven by a desperate hope for security, a profound sense of patriotism, and personal courage. He shows how political emotions, such as a desire for recognition, dignity, and belonging, fueled civilians' willingness to act, even as they grappled with, and sometimes contributed to, the deeply fraught nature of the Nigerian state. These civilians, he argues, remain emotionally tethered to the dream of a safer future, despite systemic betrayals. People as Protection further reveals how civilians actively reshape security and governance in conflict zones, often through acts of profound political and emotional significance. Challenging the view of civilians as victims or pawns, and through extensive interviews and ethnographic fieldwork, Agbiboa uncovers the grit, courage, and emotional investments that drive the CJTF's efforts. By foregrounding the roles of patriotism, political emotions, and grassroots values, he brings civilian agency into focus within the boundaries of security, governance, and citizenship in one of the world's most volatile regions.About the Author
Daniel E. Agbiboa is the John and Ruth Hazel Associate Professor of the Social Sciences at Harvard University. He is the author of They Eat Our Sweat: Transport Labor, Corruption, and Everyday Survival in Urban Nigeria and Mobility, Mobilization, and Counter/Insurgency: The Routes of Terror in an African Context.Dimensions (Overall): 9.0 Inches (H) x 6.0 Inches (W)
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Sub-Genre: Violence in Society
Genre: Social Science
Number of Pages: 256
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
Format: Hardcover
Author: Daniel E Agbiboa
Language: English
Street Date: April 7, 2026
TCIN: 1003233422
UPC: 9781512828979
Item Number (DPCI): 247-41-2852
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
Shipping details
Estimated ship dimensions: 1 inches length x 6 inches width x 9 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 1 pounds
We regret that this item cannot be shipped to PO Boxes.
This item cannot be shipped to the following locations: American Samoa (see also separate entry under AS), Guam (see also separate entry under GU), Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico (see also separate entry under PR), United States Minor Outlying Islands, Virgin Islands, U.S., APO/FPO
Return details
This item can be returned to any Target store or Target.com.
This item must be returned within 90 days of the date it was purchased in store, shipped, delivered by a Shipt shopper, or made ready for pickup.
See the return policy for complete information.